Can Boise State basketball beat Nevada on the road? Tough matchup, but here’s how

Boise State coach Leon Rice is smart enough to know his players are focused on Wednesday night’s game at Nevada.

The Broncos (17-8, 10-4) and Wolf Pack (21-6, 10-4) are tied for second in the Mountain West, a half-game behind Colorado State (19-9, 11-4). With four games remaining in the regular season, the matchup in Reno (8 p.m., ESPN3) is of the utmost importance, and Rice isn’t hiding that from his players.

“Every flight we have, we try to become better,” Thunderbirds pilot says.

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Wednesday's game at Nevada is "not just another game"

Boise State head coach Leon Rice knows how important Wednesday's matchup against Nevada is for his team, and he isn't backing down from its implications. The Broncos and Wolf Pack are tied with Colorado State atop the Mountain West with just four games remaining in the regular season.

Boise State head coach Leon Rice knows how important Wednesday's matchup against Nevada is for his team, and he isn't backing down from its implications. The Broncos and Wolf Pack are tied with Colorado State atop the Mountain West with just four games remaining in the regular season.

mkatz@idahostatesman.com

“It’s not any other game. They’re not dumb. They know that,” Rice said. “But they also know that they’ve put us in this position to play these games. There are very few teams around the country playing these games right now that have meaning in the conference championship.”

Despite losing by 19, the Broncos went toe-to-toe with Nevada for a majority of the game. With another chance to knock off the Wolf Pack, Rice is making sure to smell the roses and bask in his team’s unlikely run to the top of the conference. The Broncos were picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West’s preseason poll.

“If you would have told me in August that we were going to be right here in late February, tied with two other teams and four games to go … I would have taken it,” Rice said. “The growth of this team has been amazing.”

Get Nevada into foul trouble

The Wolf Pack’s starting five of Marcus Marshall, Cameron Oliver, D.J. Fenner, Jordan Caroline and Lindsey Drew are as good as there is in the conference, averaging 69.5 points per game combined. Nevada’s bench, however, is another story, averaging less than 10 points per game.

If Oliver or Marshall, who scored a combined 35 in January’s win at Boise State, get early fouls, it could force coach Eric Musselman to use his bench early.

“Those are good theories that you can hopefully get to that. (But) you can’t worry about it, really,” Rice said. “You can’t go out of your way of what you do.”

Win the rebounding battle

Nevada outrebounded Boise State 40-37 in the first meeting, with Oliver accounting for 15. No Bronco had more than seven (Chandler Hutchison). The Wolf Pack are the second-best rebounding team in the league (38.7) behind Wyoming (39.5).

Boise State has four conference losses, getting outrebounded in three of them.

“We’re obviously going to have to play a little bit better. And you have to be able to rebound with them,” Rice said. “They’re a great rebounding team.”

Focus on team, not individual, defense

This seems obvious but still warrants mentioning. Against New Mexico or San Jose State, Boise State can focus its defensive efforts on Elijah Brown and Brandon Clarke, respectively. Nevada, however, offers a far different challenge.

Four of Nevada’s five starters average double-figures scoring, and a key for the Broncos is a balanced defense.

“They have a bunch of guys that make contested shots. All five guys at all times can score,” Rice said. “That’s what makes them so difficult. If you put all your attention to one guy, they have a bunch of other guys.”

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Michael Katzmkatz@idahostatesman.com

Boise State at Nevada

When: 8 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Lawlor Events Center (12,000), Reno

Records: Boise State (17-8, 10-4 MW); Nevada (21-6, 10-4)

Broadcast: ESPN3

Radio: KBOI 670 AM (Bob Behler and Abe Jackson), also available at broncosports.com

Vegas line: Nevada favored by 6 points

Boise State women host Nevada on Wednesday

Winners of three straight games, the Broncos (18-7, 8-6) are back in Taco Bell Arena to face the Wolf Pack (10-15, 4-10) at 7 p.m. Boise State, fifth in the Mountain West, won the first matchup 69-62 on Jan. 25 in Reno.

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Boise State men's basketball coach Leon Rice talks to the media during the first week of practice, addressing senior Chandler Hutchison's progress, what he likes about this squad, and who is going to start.